The impact of student-led design of vegetable promotional materials on choice and consumption was investigated using 1614 observations of students' vegetable choice and plate waste in four public elementary schools in Kearney, Nebraska. Data were collected on children's vegetable choice and consumption in four comparison groups: 1) control; 2) students designed materials only; 3) students were exposed to promotional materials only; and 4) students designed materials that were then posted in the lunchroom. Vegetable choice and consumption data were collected through a validated digital photography-based plate-waste method.

Multivariate linear regression was used to estimate average treatment effects of the conditions at various time periods. Dependent variables were vegetable choice and consumption, and independent variables included the condition, time period, and interaction terms, as well as controls for gender and grade.

Relative to baseline, students in group 4 doubled their vegetable consumption (p < 0.001) when materials were posted. Vegetable consumption remained elevated at a follow-up 2–3months later (p < 0.05). Students in group 3 initially increased the quantity of vegetables selected (p < 0.05), but did not increase consumption. In the follow- up period, however, students in group 3 increased their vegetable consumption (p < 0.01). Involving elementary- aged students in the design of vegetable promotional materials that were posted in the lunchroom increased the amount of vegetables students consumed.

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Christopher Gustafson et al.Accounting for the Impacts of Public Research, R&D Spill-ins, Extension, and Roads in U.S. Regional Agricultural Productivity Growth, 1980-2004http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/144
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/144Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:41:57 PSTLing Sun Wang et al.Environmental Efficiency Among Corn Ethanol Plants.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/143
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/143Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:32:15 PSTJuan Sesmero et al.Is there a Slowdown in Agricultural Productivity Growth in South America?http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/142
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/142Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:32:12 PSTFederico Trindade et al.A Variable Cost Function for Corn Ethanol Plants in the Midwesthttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/141
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/141Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:32:08 PSTJuan Sesmero et al.U.S. Agricultural Productivity: A Review of USDA Economic Research Service Methodshttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/140
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/140Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:32:04 PSTRichard Shumway et al.Sustainable Consumption with an Essential Exhaustible Resource Re-Examinedhttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/139
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/139Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:32:01 PSTJuan Sesmero et al.Economic feasibility of high Omega-3 soybean oil in mariculture diets: A sustainable replacement for fish oil.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/138
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/138Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:31:57 PSTSubir Bairagi et al.Agricultural Productivity in China: National and Regional Growth Patterns, 1993-2005http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/137
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/137Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:31:54 PSTHazhi Tong et al.Measurement of U.S. Agricultural Productivity: A 2014 Review of Current Statistics and Proposals for Change.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/136
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/136Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:27:03 PSTRichard Shumway et al.Combining habitat loss and agricultural intensification improves our understanding of drivers of change in avian abundance in a North American cropland anthromehttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/135
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/135Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:26:58 PSTJohn Quinn et al.Biomass from Marginal Cropland: Willingness of North Central US Farmers to Produce Switchgrass on Their Least Productive Fieldshttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/134
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/134Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:26:55 PSTRichard K. Perrin et al.The Economic Impact of New Technology Adoption on the U.S. Apple Industryhttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/133
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/133Thu, 19 Jan 2017 08:40:54 PST
We develop a temporal and spatial partial equilibrium model to evaluate the welfare impact of new technology on the apple industry to control fire blight. We show significant benefits of GM technology relative to conventional methods and other new methods such as microencapsulation of biological agents. We also show that the cost-reduction benefits of the technology exceed the yield-increasing benefits.
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Nichole L. Busdieker-Jesse et al.Assessing the Ability of Rural Electric Cooperatives to Retire Capital Creditshttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/132
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/132Thu, 11 Aug 2016 11:54:18 PDT
This paper assesses the ability of rural electric cooperatives to retire member equity under three strategies: (1) replacing equity with term debt to provide for an immediate one-time retirement of capital credits, (2) reducing the rate at which equity is accumulated and relying more on term debt to finance asset growth so margins can be used to accelerate the retirement of capital credits, and (3) adjusting the electric rate to generate additional margins for retiring capital credits. Analyses suggest that the average distribution cooperative could employ these strategies to expand capital credits retirement substantially without weakening its financial condition.
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Jeffrey S. Royer2016 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates — Part Ihttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/131
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/131Tue, 19 Jul 2016 10:57:20 PDT
Every two years a survey of custom operators is conducted to determine the current rates charged for specific machinery operations. The survey is divided into two parts. Part I includes the spring and summer operations such as planting and harvesting of small grains, and Part II includes information about fall and miscellaneous operations.

The responses are grouped by Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Districts as shown on the map below (Figure 1). Custom rates reported include charges for use of necessary equipment, fuel, labor, and supplies such as baling wire or twine provided by the custom operator. Seed, fertilizer, and chemical costs are not included.

This report is based on a survey of custom operators identified by University of Nebraska– Lincoln Extension personnel. Questionnaires were sent to all individuals on this custom operators mailing list. The results reflect the views of those who responded to the specific questions. Actual rates paid for custom services may vary from those reported due to differences in those responding and those providing the service.

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Roger Wilson et al.2016 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates — Part IIhttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/130
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/130Tue, 19 Jul 2016 10:52:05 PDT
Every two years a survey of custom operators is conducted to determine the current rates charged for specific machinery operations. The survey is divided into two parts. Part I includes the spring and summer operations such as planting and harvesting of small grains, and Part II includes information about fall and miscellaneous operations.

The responses are grouped by Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Districts as shown on the map below (Figure 1). Custom rates reported include charges for use of necessary equipment, fuel, labor, and supplies such as baling wire or twine provided by EC826 (Revised May 2016) the custom operator. Seed, fertilizer, and chemical costs are not included.

This report is based on a survey of custom operators identified by University of Nebraska– Lincoln Extension personnel. Questionnaires were sent to all individuals on this custom operators mailing list. The results reflect the views of those who responded to the specific questions. Actual rates paid for custom services may vary from those reported due to differences in those responding and those providing the service.

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Roger Wilson et al.Is Social Capital Motivated by Self-interest Only? A Case Study on a Well-developed U.S. Rural Communityhttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/129
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/129Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:23:37 PDT
The paper examines individual motivation about social capital, measured by willingness to accept of compensation to leave individually valued social relations behind in moving from an ideal-type mid-western rural community, referred to “Nirvana.” The Heckman two steps method is applied to analyze a survey conducted in Nirvana. In Step1, 665 observations are used to run a Probit estimate on the individual decision to move. In Step2, 438 observations are used to perform a Semi-log OLS estimate of social capital value. The empirical analysis suggests that social capital investment is driven by the dual motivation represented in an egoistic based self-interest and an empathy-sympathy based other-interest, both of which are jointly pursued within the own-interest. This finding implies that community development strategies need to determine the nature of orientation when internalizing the own-interest of individuals in the community in question. This paper provides direct empirical evidence to support that both self-interest and other-interest motivate the investment of social capital in a well-developed rural community. It also helps understanding why some rural communities achieve a higher state of economic development and community vitality than others. To answer question about what level of self-interest conditioned by the shared other interest works best, will require further testing in various communities, other than just one case study.
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Zhenyu Zhang et al.Farm Bill 2014: An Experimental Investigation of Conservation
Compliancehttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/128
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/128Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:12:45 PDT
Leading up to the 2014 Farm Bill, the House of Representatives and the Senate proposed alternative changes to the incentive structure for farmer conservation efforts. While both include crop insurance subsidies, the version proposed by the Senate made such subsidies conditional on conservation efforts. This study uses experimental methods to analyze the efficacy of these two alternative designs in comparison to the previous, 2008 Farm Bill, design and investigates in how far additional nudging for empathy can improve on the efficiency. The results support the contention that solely offering financial incentives, as is the case in the 2014 Farm Bill, leads to crowding-out of intrinsic motivations and hence may be counterproductive. Similarly, nudging for empathy by itself is relatively ineffective. Nudging in conjunction with financial incentives, however, has a statistically and economically significant and positive impact on conservation behavior and may therefore offer a relatively cheap way to improve the efficiency of conservation-related legislative efforts.
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Hans J. Czap et al.Estimating Urban Households’
Willingness-to-Pay for Upland Forest
Restoration in Vietnamhttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/127
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/127Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:58:03 PDT
Increased urbanization coupled with increased reliance of urban communities on rural areas for ecosystem service provision is a challenge faced by many nations. The ability of urban households to directly support restoration efforts in surrounding rural regions represents an underappreciated funding stream for ecological restoration. This study explored the willingness of urban households to support forest restoration in Vietnam. We surveyed 211 households (HHs) in the capital city Hanoi, Vietnam. A Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE) model allowed us to obtain the parameters of our model and quantify mean Willingness-to-Pay (WTP) for a program of forest restoration in addition to identifying factors influencing the decision of WTP. Generally, over forty percent of the households surveyed are willing to pay for forest restoration and the mean value of WTP is 37,830 VND ($1.73) per household per month. WTP depends on endogenous and exogenous factors including level of education, income, female-to-male ratio in the household, attitude toward payment for monthly electricity consumption, and awareness of payment for environmental service. Our results suggest that urban household’s demand for forest restoration is real, and represents an untapped source of restoration funding. Policy-makers should take actions to apply charges on water bills to turn this potential into reality for restoration projects in Vietnam if the benefits from restoration outweigh the costs based on our findings.
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Quy Van Khuc et al.Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Developments 2008-2009http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/126
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ageconfacpub/126Fri, 04 Sep 2015 16:35:21 PDT
Following strong value advances over the past several years, Nebraska farmland values throttled down and stabilized across most of the state during the 12-month period ending February 1, 2009. According the 2009 UNL Nebraska Farm Real Estate Survey, the average all-land value rose just over 1% for the year. Some modest decreases in value were reported for some classes of land, but relative to recent trends for residential and commercial property across the U.S., stable values for agricultural land speaks to its relative strength in the current recession.

Regional differences in value shifts were rather significant over the time period. Some of the regions, where more modest gains had occurred in recent years, experienced somewhat stronger upward changes over the past year. Likewise, by land class, there were notable variations in value changes, with the irrigated land classes showing the stronger advances.

Survey reporters in early 2009 were observing market factors in much different perspective than in previous years. In fact, the majority of factors believed to influence land value trends turned from positive influence to negative influence on area land values. Many of these factors reflect macro aspects of the national and global economy, and clearly indicate the connectedness of the agricultural land market to macroeconomic forces.

Market characteristics of sales activity in 2008 were a continuation of the trends of recent years. Four out of every five buyers were active farmers, with more than half of the transactions (51%) being cash purchases without debt financing.

The reported cash rent patterns for 2009 generally showed only minor changes from 2008 levels. Even though the crop sector was coming off a very favorable income year in 2008, both tenants and landowners entered the 2009 crop season with considerable caution. As for grazing land rental rates, most areas of the state saw relatively stable rent levels on a monthly basis.

Gross rent to value ratios (current rent as a percent of current value levels) show considerable variation across regions and land classes, and, to some extent are lower for 2009 relative to year- earlier levels. In turn, the debt-servicing capacity associated with land acquisitions in the current market are fairly low—in most cases being in the 30 to 40% range if one assumes net returns based on cash rent levels. However, given that (1) the vast majority of buyers are active farmers who will be farming the land themselves with higher income expectations, and (2) half of the land transfers

are for cash, the relatively low debt-servicing levels may not be a significant constraint in the current market.